Have an opinion about plans for a new waterfront park along Meydenbauer Bay and its connections to adjacent neighborhoods and the downtown?

On Tuesday, June 23, the city will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. in City Hall on the Meydenbauer Bay Park and Land Use Plan draft environmental impact statement.

The city will issue the draft EIS on Thursday, June 4, and the public hearing is one way people can comment on it. Copies of the draft EIS are available from the city. Compact disks (free) and paper copies ($15) may both be obtained from the Service First desk at City Hall, or by calling 425-452-6800. The document may also be downloaded on-line at Meydenbauer project web page.

The draft EIS analyzes three alternatives for the park and neighboring land uses (two "action alternatives" and one "no action alternative") for the study area, which is generally bounded by 98th Place Northeast/Meydenbauer Beach Park on the west, Northeast First Street on the north, 101st Avenue Southeast on the east, and Meydenbauer Way Southeast and Meydenbauer Bay on the south.

The city owns approximately 10 acres of property within this area, along or in close proximity to the shoreline of Meydenbauer Bay. The draft EIS assesses the impacts of alternate ways that the area could develop between now and 2020.

Public input on the DEIS, and the document itself, will help the project steering committee develop a preferred alternative, anticipated this summer. The steering committee will make a recommendation, which will be reflected in a final EIS, to be published prior to the City Council taking action on the proposal.

Public comment about the DEIS may also be submitted through July 20 via e-mail at mpaine@bellevuewa.gov or in writing to Michael Paine, Environmental Planning Manager, Bellevue Development Services Department, PO Box 90012, Bellevue, WA 98009-9012.

Comments should be as specific as possible and may address either the adequacy of the document or the merits of the alternatives or both. Comments may be on the methodology, alternatives or elements of the environment, mitigation measures, probable significant impacts and potential conditions on any licenses or approvals to be considered by the city.